Priceline gave me a minimum re-bid amount?

[STLtraveler]

I've used Priceline numerous times in the past, but its been a couple years since my last use. This time I was bidding the day before my planned hotel stay. I bid and was rejected. My plan was to re-bid (up to 4 times) adding zones without 4*/3.5* hotels. Instead Priceline told me I could only re-bid if I raised my offering price by $24 to $54. I raised the pricing by $24 since that was still barely within my budget for the hotel and was awarded a hotel, but I had never had this occur before. Is this new? Is this because I was bidding the day before my stay or possibly something else? I have to bid on a hotel stay coming up early next year and would like to avoid this circumstance again. Thanks

[thereuare]

Thanks for your post.

Can you please share your win with the board so that others can benefit from the information.

From Our Rules and Policies:

While we welcome both positive and negative experiences, please keep in mind that the spirit of this message board is helping users.

If you have a complaint, problem, or question with a recent or upcoming Priceline/Hotwire stay, we will be happy to do what we can to help, but please be considerate of the board's primary goal of helping others and first post the details of your 'win.'

In your post please include the star rating, city, zone, hotel name, room rate per nite, and dates of your stay... you can still view all of this information by going to PRICELINE and clicking the MY PROFILE >> MY TRIPS link near the top right of their home page.

Thanks!

[Romelle]

No, it is not new. It is one of those "counter-offers". They show up in two forms - one as a total amount for a new bid, and the one you got for an added amount for a new bid. If you look very closely at the page where it does it, there is one small print highlighted option to do something different. If you click this you can just continue with your free rebids and lesser raises. If you don't find it, you can sign off and come back in again, as long as what you bid truly is unique from your prior bids (new free rebid zone added).

It doesn't have anything to do with last minute bidding.

Since you learned there was something available at $54 and you had 4 possible free rebids, you could have bid in $6 increments ($24/4) to reach that $54 - $30, $36, $42, & $54. Alternatively, if you have nerves of steel, you could have bid in $3 increments that day and then work on up with same-day bidding.

I did once get a counter-offer when I had lots of time. I worked up to it over a number of days, only to find it was not available any more. The risk of that is slight though. Especially when doing the full sequence in one day.

People tend to be successful about 1/2 way. Some swear by bidding 1/2 the counter offer plus $1 - $13 in your case. And some lucky ones are successful after only an additional $1 or $2.

Romelle

PS - I agree with thereuare per above - every data point helps somebody.